Opposition calls for thorough investigation into Nasheed's claims

The opposition Progressive Congress Coalition has called for an investigation into the Parliament Speaker's claims regarding the existence of photographs that show President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih engaging in extramarital sexual relations.

In a statement issued Friday night, the Progressive Congress Coalition called on the government to find out the truth behind Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed's claims that he possessed photographs of the President committing adultery. The opposition called on the state institutions, especially the police service, to conduct a thorough investigation into the case. In order to ensure an investigation free of influence, they called for the temporary suspension of the President and Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed until the investigation is completed.

"This is not the time to respond to serious allegations made by a top state official through a spokesperson. Please allow for a full and independent investigation to clear [the President's] name. It is the peoples' plea that this case is not swept under the rug....," the statement read.

Nasheed made the allegations against the President in a message sent to the MDP National Assembly members' WhatsApp group on Friday evening. In his message, Nasheed said he had just arrived in the UK and received four photographs of the President engaging in extramarital sexual relations with a young girl.

Nasheed wrote that he had a question for President Solih and asked why the President was protecting everyone with nude photos and arrested only Nasheed's brother, Nazim Abdul Sattar. Nasheed asked the question in reference to the arrest of his brother, who was taken into police custody on Thursday after a video of him engaging in sexual relations with a 25-year-old Bangladeshi man leaked on social media.

“Should I send them [the photos of the President] to the police?” Nasheed asked.

According to Nasheed, the girl in the photos is the daughter of a close family member and a close friend. He said he was concerned about the girl's state.

Following Nasheed's allegations, the Presidential Spokesperson Mohamed Mabrook Azeez was quick to deny the accusations. On the President's behalf, Mabrook said the President had assured that there was no basis for Nasheed's allegations, and they were blatant lies. Mabrook said he did not know why Nasheed had to make such untrue statements about the President.

Nasheed has said Nazim was arrested for political purposes under government influence. Nasheed also accused the government of acting to appease hardline extremists affiliated with the government.